FBX Conversion
garrett_3d
Posts: 754
I have some 3d automotive and aviation models in FBX format that I'd like to use in Daz. Is there a specific method for converting them to a reliable DS format, other than just importing and saving as a duf file?
They will need some work to make them usable as rigged props, are there any tutorials for this?

Comments
Depending on the models complecity as well as how the they were made, rigging automotives / planes etc. can be a bit challenging... the workload may also vary. If you just need to use them as static objects, you don't need to rig them. Import FBXs, convert them to props and/or figures, assign the texture maps, then save as Scene Subset.
If you do need to rig them for tranlating / rotating the parts of them, you may take a look at this product : https://www.daz3d.com/rigging-vehicles-and-mechs-in-daz-studio I ever learnt a lot from them. There're some simple tutorials on youtube, you may search there.. e.g. https://youtu.be/NH6sg-pMppU?si=ROvFOaNqwAbALI2a
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIxH2Ilf9D8&list=PLPcx_LSSGfZfhDCty973OQjnXLugQtoEE
Edit: Rigging process is not difficult but most of the time just tedious ~~
Once an FBX/OBJ/other file type in loaded into Daz Studio and saved as a scene subset DUF file type, is the original FBX/OBJ/other file type still needed or can it be deleted?
If you save a scene or scenesubset after having loaded one or more Obj/FBX it will be included in the scene/subset file.
But a better way is first to save the obj/FBX's as a Support Asset > Figure/Prop asset.
Then in the scene/subset it will reference the saved support asset instead of including a large data block in the scene/subset file.
OK. I'll give it a try. Thanks!
For the record: Actually if you're not a content creator for selling products other than just a hobbyist for having fun with DS, you don't have to save Figure / Prop assets. The geometry / UV data anyway occupy your disk space no matter they're save in user-facing DUF files or non user-facing DSF files.
Besides, loading an "all-in-one" Scene subset is faster than loading a simpler subset + figure/prop assets because the latter needs to further read DSFs from data folder as well as write DSON cache files ~~
Edit: One potential cons of the former is that if you lost DUF file(s) one day, you would lose everything related to that FBX/OBJ that you ever imported.... while if you ever saved figure/prop asset, you could manually relink DSF files into a scene (though that's not a simple task ~~)
Thanks for your additional info. I’m a hobbyist doing this stuff for fun – more so since I retired seven years ago. Since the beginning, I have retained all product files. In the case of FBX/OBJ/other files for which I save the product as a scene subset DUF file, I’d keep the FBX/OBJ/other files on an archive drive and not my Daz Studio library drive.
Yeah, I think that's a good practice as long as you're not short of disk space ~
If you plan to use the model in several scenes you will save space if you save it as an asset.
Right, agreed ~
@crosswind : "Yeah, I think that's a good practice as long as you're not short of disk space ~"
My Daz Studio library in on a 5 TB external HD. I also keep a duplicate of my Daz Studio library by manually installing content to a second 5 TB external HDD. I keep my archive zip files on a 20 TB external HDD.